Most parents want their children to eat their vegetables, and most children? Well, they’re just not that interested. In 2023, the CDC reported that nearly half of young children across the US  don’t eat vegetables daily. Even Hollywood stars struggle to fuel their little ones with enough healthy food. But luckily for Matt Damon, he’s found a vegetable his kids will eat: broccoli.

Back in 2020, the actor told People, “I cook pasta with butter and steam broccoli. It’s all about getting enough healthy food in front of them every three hours.”

Get Your Children to Eat Their Vegetables With These Tried and Tested Expert Tips

“Luckily, I found out all three of my youngest girls love broccoli,” he added. “There are times when I can’t get them to eat protein or a little piece of fish because they are going crazy over the broccoli. Sometimes they’re the ones bribing me to eat more of my vegetables.”

He added that, together with his wife, Luciana, he tried to help his four daughters develop a habit of eating vegetables from a very young age. “It’s all about starting early,” he said, adding that while he’s not a huge vegetable fan, he grew up eating salads with everything, which helped him develop healthy eating habits.

Matt and Luciana Damon have four daughters together. | Nicolas Genin/Wikimedia Commons

We all must eat our vegetables, of course, but for growing children, it’s especially important. “This is because they contain vitamins and minerals that provide energy, and also help with essential growth and development,” Laurie Marbas, MD, previously wrote for VegNews.

Marbas recommends tips like hiding vegetables in smoothies or sauces, cooking together, growing your own produce, and setting a good example by eating your own vegetables to help encourage children to develop healthy habits.

“Children are smart and perceptive,” she explains. “So if you want them to eat healthy, you’re going to have to start by being the example.”

Damon gets his kids to eat broccoli, which is chock-full of nutrients like fiber, vitamin C, iron, and antioxidants, by pairing it with pasta and butter. But if you’re dairy-free, you can still enjoy that same creamy comfort with a few easy swaps. Check out our guide to the best dairy-free butter brands on the market to get started. 

The Kardashians are fans of Country Crock’s dairy-free Plant Butter, for example, which tastes just like regular butter, only it’s made with dairy-free ingredients. “The fact that they have the Plant Butter, makes me really happy because you guys [her daughters] are trying to get me to eat the same way you eat, and I don’t want to taste a difference,” Jenner explained in a campaign for Country Crock with Khloe Kardashian.

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But you can also make your own vegan butter from scratch. This Homemade Vegan European-Style Salted Butter, for example, comes together with soaked cashews, apple cider vinegar, coconut oil, oat milk, and salt, and it’s ideal for use in everything from pasta to sandwiches to toast.

Dish it up with pasta and greens à la Damon, and don’t be surprised if the whole family wants seconds.